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I sprayed twice something on my dog's paw that has lavender as one of the ingredients, and he licked it while I was clipping his nails. The following day he was having difficulty standing up. I didn't automatically think it was the spray but after he refused to eat beef liver, which he loves, I realized there was something wrong. He will drink water, lots of it, but barely eats. I gave him a capful of hydrogen peroxide 3% to make him throw up and he did within minutes but then one side below his neck became enlarged as if filled with air. It doesn't seem painful to him when I touch it, but he is still lethargic.
Be careful with lavender around your dog. Do not let them ingest it.
Posted by Soazburrolady (Southern Az) on 09/01/2015
So very sorry you are dealing with a sick pup. Theresa is right. Take your dog to the vet. However, just a quick note from my personal experience with China berry trees (which we call ball bearing trees for obvious reasons). We have multiple such trees on our property, and have for 26 years. Every one of our many dogs over those years has munched on them with no ill effects whatsoever. One dog, who I have now, loves them: eats them at the green stage, and really loves them when they dry. My burros also eat them without consequence. So....is it at all possible there is a different cause for your pup's distress? All the best.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
You should take your dog to the vet as this is life threatening.
If you cannot get to the vet, you can try feeding your dog activated charcoal - you can get it at the aquarium store and grind it to a fine powder. See if you can get your dog to take this either mixed in with some broth or home made doggie pedialyte. Bentonite clay would also apply if you cannot find the activated charcoal [or vice versa].
Again, my first choice for chinaberry poisoning is the vet.
Is an Iris leave poison for a puppy/dog? I didn't see it on your poison list..
EC: Kelly, thanks for asking! We're updating our list of poisonous plants to add iris, daylilies and lilies. Many (but not all) varieties are toxic to dogs and cats.
Animals are known to have very close DNA as humans do, therefore I'm thinking that maybe the cat that died already was sick or other, and the one cat that tolerated the oil may have been healthy.
Sad to say I have adopted an older cat, the experiment via science consisted of testing her with Chlamydia. She is always upset and vomiting, what she does is go out and eat grass, it's a natural remedy for all animals. I cannot imagine any animal being locked up in a house 24/7 with-out having what is called a natural solution for pets that are sick and know what they need/want and cannot get it. I usually bring it in to my pets.
I have yet another rescue; she was a dumpster diver when I adopted her. I give her canned cat food and she throws it up, so I have resided to steaming chicken and giving her a little at a time, three times a day. I add Ester-C to her food once a month and so far and hopefully she is really doing well. With fingers crossed.
Posted by Carrie (Northern Calif, Usa) on 09/30/2014
My 60# Staffie was vomiting every few mins throughout the night until only liquid was expelled. Clearly I had to stop the vomiting and could not afford another vet bill. Per Dr Richard Pitcairn's advise in his great book, I bought homeopathic Ipecac, crushed 3 pellets (do not touch) and put it down his throat. This stopped the vomiting within mins! He had a dry cough for days. I called and his vet said the acid and vomiting retching. I tried Hydrogen Peroxide several times but it was like water.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
The entire plant is toxic - leaves and flowers - as they contain the poison protoanemonin. When the leaves and flowers are dried they poison is nullified. Protoanemonin poisoning varies by the amount consumed -a few leaves may not have any effect while eating an entire plant may produce a big toxic reaction.
A dog *might* be tempted to eat buttercup leaves and flowers for therapeutic reasons, ie homeopathy - where like cures like.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Hey Hannidan! I have heard about issues with tea tree oil and cats before - yet I found myself confused because I have worked with a vet who specializes in using both arisolized and topical applications of essential oils on pets. The main thing is the quality of the oil; if it is not veterinary grade or human grade, then you should not use it on your pet. "What I recommend when considering essential oil use for cats is to choose oils that are used often, have been used in many cats, and to use them with techniques that cats enjoy. Tea Tree Oil, or Melaleuca alternifolia, is another feline controversy which fascinates me. I have directly communicated with people who have sadly exposed their cat to a poor grade Melaleuca oil, resulting in subsequent seizures and death. Conversely, I have met many cats and have witnessed firsthand a cat receiving 4 drops of Melaleuca oil orally twice a day, followed with blood work, and showing no ill events. I do not necessarily endorse the use of Melaleuca with cats, as there are many other essential oils that can be used in place of this particular oil." Source: http://www.animaleo.info/cats.html
Posted by Hannidan (Charlotte, Nc) on 04/13/2014 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
On the topic of tea tree oil. It is a deadly poison for cats, which are drawn to the taste/smell. They will even lick residue off pillows. Everyone please be careful. If your cat comes into contact with it you will want to get to a vet pronto.
I found your story helpful as well as the replies from others experiencing K-9 poison oak. Two days ago, I was enjoying some spring time hiking through the woods with my dog and there was plenty of low growing freshly leafed out p/o. My 7yo Staffy Bullterrier now has many little red bumps all over his stomach and a couple where his skin is exposed in his arm (or should I say, leg) pits.
As a person who can get it, I have found the most effective and satisfying way to speed along the healing process, is a good p/o soap such as Burt's Bees, or Fels Naptha which has been around since I was a kid, at first.. but after a couple days, or when the rash turns into small pimple looking bumps I treat it with a most satisfying method:
Take a small face cloth type towel and saturate a portion of it with hydrogen peroxide and proceed to do the unthinkable - Yes, scratch it with the soaked towel until the little bumps turn white. This can be done more than once, if some of the rash did not turn white with the tiny disinfecting bubbles. It is incredibly effective at drying up the rash and preventing the spread of the oils. IMPORTANT -- As a footnote, do not use the peroxide method immediately after getting p/o, before it has turned into distinct little bumps.. you WILL end up spreading it.
I will be trying this on my little friend and will report back with the results. Hope this is helpful as there is much discomfort when having P/O!
I once had a dog that got posion ivy on it's nose! The poor thing would scratch until it bleed. We put socks on him which helped from him from digging with his nails.
Posted by Susieq (Staten Island, New York) on 06/15/2013
To Katiem: they already know it is poisonous, the question was if their dogs were missing something from their diet because the dogs are intentionally trying to eat the buttercup.
I know I get so irritated when I hear people say that dogs can't get poison ivy... The oils distribute to the skin / if it doesn't just stay "put" on the hair then YES dogs get it and it is awful... Burt's bees soap is very good! My poor lab got it - baby was miserable!!!
Posted by Concerned Puppy Momma (Chandler, Az) on 04/15/2013
My fiance and I have recently received a pit bull puppy as a gift and she loves to wrestle, tug, and play in the cats claw vines growing on our patio. My biggest concern is these may be harmful to her. I have searched multiple sites and none of them list this vine anywhere. I dont want to just take it as a sign that there is no harm from these without being sure... Can anyone give me some information? Maybe I'm missing something. Thank you.
Posted by Nicole.poisonous2pets (Gold Coast, Australia) on 12/05/2012
Poinsettia can be listed as toxic but it is a low toxicity plant. Your pet can be affected either by contact or by consumption. If your pet has regular contact with the poinsettia symptoms such as eye irritation, conjunctivitis and eye ulceration can be seen. Skin disorders such as dermatitis, skin irritation and blisters can also become evident. If ingested it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Even though it can cause problems in your pet, it is a low toxicity plant as the symptoms are usually quite mild in the sense they can not cause organ damage or death (although they can still be quite distressing).
Posted by Nicole.poisonous2pets (Gold Coast, Australia) on 12/05/2012 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
If the croton plant you are refering to is a codiaeum species, it is moderately toxic. It can cause eye irritation, dermatitis and eczema with contact alone. If consumed, it can cause a burning sensation to the mouth, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. In can also cause more severe symptoms such as haemorrhages of the heart, and degradation of the kidneys and liver. I am a horticulturist who writes on plants which are toxic to dogs and cats and all my information has been verified by a veterinarian so the information is correct. Just be careful about this plant around your pets.
I frequently walk my dogs through the scrub desert east of the Santa Rita mountains along the Santa Cruz river. Upon browsing this site to find out what might be harmful to them, I find a LIST!!!!! No pictures!!!!
Obviously, this does me no good. I would have to know ALL the plants I come across in order to look up and see if they are harmful. A list is useless to me. Where can I find pictures?
Posted by Julie (Indianapolis, In Indiana) on 04/11/2012 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
You may not see any symptoms but the toxicity stays in their system and builds up in their liver over time poisoning your beloved pet and then one day your cat won't eat and has become ill for no apparent reason. Please check the list of poisons before using any essential oil even on yourself. You will find out that all essential oils are poisonous to your cat.
Good afternoon! I just wanted to find out if the Poinsettia is really poisonous to animals. According to the paperwork that has come with our plants, it says that even though the plant can make them sick, they are not poisonous. However, your site says the opposite. Please advise. Thank you
I find this strange that tea tree oil is toxic. I have a product called Bitter Barrier made with tea tree oil for dogs AND cats that I used to stop the cats from eating our artificial Xmas tree. I used it a lot and they actually got used to it and continued chewing on it and they never had ANY side effects??
I have never seen the trumpet vine listed as a poisonous plant. My 9 week old pup ate leaves and chewed on a stem of this plant while in the playyard and may not live. She salivated extremely and is hypersensitive. She also had a seizure, maybe more, since I immediately got her to the vet. What does one do for this plant poisoning? She has been given a steriod shot and benadryl shot upon arrival, and when seizured, was given valium. Also, fluids have been given. What else can be done?
I have a dog that ate Lantana. I almost lost her. I carried her to the vet and her urine was like ice tea. I moved all of my lantana plants to the front yard where she can not get to them.
Posted by Melanyh (Houston, Tx, Us) on 06/18/2011 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
We have poison ivy in our backyard, which my husband & I know to avoid. We have both had poison ivy more times than I'd like to mention. This summer, our 2 yr old Bull Terrier began getting red spots under her fur and on her stomach. She was itching and nibbling at her skin constantly. She is already treated with an internal & external flea medication, so we couldn't figure out what it was. She was completely miserable - always scratching, itching, and biting herself. She was even losing hair in those itchy areas. I tried a variety of pet products for skin issues, but nothing was working.
One day I was bathing her & I noticed that I had a small patch of poison ivy on my arm. Then it hit me - - she had poison ivy. We have always been told that dogs cannot get poison ivy, but I decided to do a little more research. Almost every site out there will tell you that dogs cannot get it; therefore, there are no remedies for it. I finally found one site that said, "yes, dogs can get poison ivy if the oils get past the fur. " This is why she had most of it on her stomach, where there is little hair. When she scratched, it moved the oils to other parts of her body. My husband & I swear by Burt's Bees Poison Ivy soap(you can find it at WFM). I immediately washed her with this soap, and you can tell she felt better. I washed the affected areas once or twice a day, and her poison ivy went away. Now, it has recently come back because we still have poison ivy in our yard, but now I can nip it in the bud before it gets bad. YES, your dog CAN get poison ivy!
Hi, I would like to know if Japanese Blood Grass is poisonious to cats? What would the symptoms be? My cat has been eating it and I have found vomit outside with grass in it. Ma
Posted by Jaxomsride (Leeds, England) on 03/04/2010
We have used tea tree oil as a topical application to treat wounds and to bathe our cats in order to treat fleas. The tea tree oil has always been dilute and has never had any harmful effect on them.
On the other hand my husband who has been sensitised to it does react badly if he comes in contact with it. It might be the cats who have found it "toxic" have either been given it in its concentrated form, or like my husband have had an extreme allergic reaction.
Posted by Yvette (Lake Panasoffkee, Florida) on 02/12/2010
I have used tea tree oil to treat both myself and my Labrador for years. The oil has always been diluted approximately 1/4 ounce to 4 to 5 ounces of water for use on the dog to treat skin irritations. It worked, relieving itching, scaling and allowing hair to grow back. I usually apply the oil full strength to my skin for insect bites and cuts. To date, I have not had any reactions.
I personally use tea tree oil shampoo with no problems. I have bathed the Lab with tea tree shampoo (dog version)with no problems.
I did use tea tree shampoo on another dog and found that it did seem to irritate and redden her skin, particularly the underbelly area, and caused her to scratch until she broke the skin. But, then, this dog is extremely sensitive and reacts even to Oatmeal shampoo.
Have never used tea tree oil on cats and never will, simply because cats tend to lick their fur and I don't think ingesting the oil is a good idea.
Posted by Alimorg (Stoke-on-trent, England) on 11/01/2009
My border terrier also likes to eat buttercup leaves and I was wondering the same thing about something missing in her diet. I try to stop her from eating the leaves but she has never shown any ill effects from doing so! Let's hope someone can throw somw light on this - she seems to ignore other plants.
Posted by Celleste (Penang, Malaysia) on 09/15/2009
re: Use of tea tree oil for dogs
Did you use the oil diluted or undiluted? What problems did you use it for? Sometimes when my dog gets insect bites, I wanted to apply tea tree oil on him, but was worried that I'd poison him. :D I'd really appreciate your feedback on this. Thank you.
Buttercup - poisonous to dogs? Formerly my Border terrier was grass grazer, but lately she has turned to buttercup leaves. Of course, I stop her. However, is there something missing in her diet that makes her look for this plant?
I think it is important to note that Automn Crocus is not an actual "crocus" which is confusing because some crocus bulbs due come up in the fall. here is the wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicum_autumnale which includes a photo for distinction.
Posted by Paul (Ridgewood, New Jersey) on 06/03/2009
Is honeysuckle poisonous to cats? My wife recently brought in cuttings from a Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera Flava) and a Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica). I noticed one of our cats eating the leaves. Can this make him sick?
EC: Honeysuckle is mentioned on various forums as being toxic to cats, but no varieties are listed.
Hi, I have a lantana bush in my backyard. My dog eats the leaves and then throws up, I noticed that you all say they are poisonous. Is she just eating them to make herself throw up? Also, my backyard is filled with azaleas, wisteria, wild black cherry, and a huge yew tree. Should I worry about these plants around my dog...she never eats those but the lantana and she also eats camelia flowers...when she eats the lantana she vomits then she's ok. What should I do?
Roses are an edible flower, our cat loves rose petals, not to mention that roses are used in drinks and other foods. I would have to guess that your cat was sickened by some kind of spray (either a leaf food or a pesticide) on the roses, as is very common with roses purchased at nurseries that don't specify if they do or do not use pesticides. also, many many professional gardeners use sprays as a matter of habit. You should certainly ask your vet what they think, but i also hope it helps you not be afraid of roses in the future.
Posted by Mary (Stavanger, Norway) on 04/27/2009 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
Tea Tree Oil is an absolute no-no for cats. And Pointsettia should be upgraded to extremely dangerous: our cat was on a drip for two days following ingestion of a small bit of dried up leaf. Apparently grapes (and raisins) are also deadly - we once had a cat who was passionate about fruit cake! This last info comes from FAB - the British charity dedicated to Feline welfare (fabcats.co.uk) where you will find lots of useful information on 'cat management' - and poisons.
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